May 15, 2018

Pittsburgh, PA--Printing Industries of America President & CEO Michael Makin released today the following statement regarding introduction of the Protecting Rational Incentives in Newsprint Trade (PRINT) Act of 2018 by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME):

"Printing Industries of America (PIA) has spent the better part of 2018 informing the Department of Commerce of the unique circumstances in the trade remedy case targeting Canadian imports of uncoated groundwood (UGW) paper, providing a realistic viewpoint of paper consumption, and explaining the devastating impact taxing produce is having--now--on the print and publishing industries.

Currently, alleged anti-dumping tariffs and countervailing duties are being collected at the border and printers are feeling the effects of market upheaval in regards to scarce supply and higher costs being passed onto end users. While PIA respects U.S. trade law and understands a quasi-judicial process to determine final injury to the sole petitioning paper company must proceed, the association also has a responsibility to stand up for its member companies caught in the crosshairs of this ongoing investigation.

The printing industry is constantly innovating and reinventing itself to stay competitive in the modern communications marketplace. Taxing our most essential raw material drags down the industry's job creation, economic growth, and future viability. The reality is that demand for newsprint and electronic alternatives--not unfair foreign competition--has driven down consumer use of newsprint. That's why PIA applauds Senators Collins and King for standing up to say "time out" on behalf of the printing and publishing industry by introducing the PRINT Act.

This bipartisan bill would require the Department of Commerce to conduct an economic wellbeing study on the printing and publishing industry and pause any affirmative determinations on final tariffs until President Trump has certified receipt of report and has concluded such determinations are in the national interest. Most importantly, the PRINT Act would halt the current collection of cash deposits for Canadian UGW imports.

Trade remedy laws are designed to help domestic industries attain a level playing field on which to succeed--not to create an exponential number of domestic losers in the process. The PRINT Act is crucial to restoring a much-needed sense of sanity surrounding tariffs on uncoated groundwood paper. PIA endorses this legislation and will continue to work to highlight the need for rational decision making in relation to this ill-conceived tariff."